A fence and a solid pole

[Anastasie Chevalier]

Ana pulled her blue jacket tighter around her, zipping it up to the neck, and pulled her matching blue beanie down over her ears. The weather was still pretty cold, but the sun was out and she couldn't see any reason not to have the lesson outside.

Entering the first field, that led through to her outdoor classroom, she began to set up for the class. The two barrels she had asked for were already in place down one of the long sides of the field and she placed a pole holder on top of each and balanced a pole on them. She then walked through to her field and stood in the middle. She didn't have a horse with her that day, as she felt that this lesson would be easier to explain, rather than demonstrate.

She greeted each student as they arrived and asked them to begin the normal way, with the friendly game. Once the alarm on her phone buzzed in her pocket, she knew it was time to start class. "As you will see, I have today's class set up in our adjoining field" She said as she gestured toward the barrels and pole. "Today is going to be all about getting your horse comfortable with walking through small spaces; as they would when walking through a doorway, entering a float... you get the idea.

"Think of it as a lunging exercise, though for half of your circle, there will be a pole between you and your friend. One at a time, you will take your friend over to the corridor. I want you to stand at the middle of the pole, with it between you and the fence, the idea is not to move your feet from that spot. The pole is there to protect you as your horse goes through the gap, and to stop him from crowding you.

"Send your horse away to the first barrel at the entrance to the corridor and ask him to stand there parallel to the fence, facing the narrow gap.

"Don't let him rush into the corridor - wait until he is settled and calmly standing facing the entrance. Then using feel on the halter and line, ask him to go through the narrow space.

"Don't stress if he rushes it the first time, you want him to feel he can get out of the 'trap'. Just make sure he doesn't push the pole.

"When he has gone around the end of the pole, ask him to disengage his hindquarters and turn to face you. Give him comfort for doing this by leaving him alone or rubbing him with your stick, but try to keep him at arm's length outside of your personal space as this exercise can cause some horse to become agitated and don't like anything too close.

"Repeat the exercise a few times on both reins." She smiled, knowing that it was a lot to remember, but that's why she was here without a horse. "Everyone else can just work on the seven games, focusing on your communication, meaning that who ever goes first, has the disadvantage."

Students:
@running7
@erikchoi
@jacobturcotte
Marguerite Girardeau
Martijn van der Berg
Miranda Florin
Othello Buskirk
@ronan

A pretty diagram of those of you slightly confussled:

[Martijn van der Berg]

Martijn looked between the two tack lockers that were his, one next to the other, finally picking up one of the maroon and black grooming kit. As he approached the stalls, the similar heads turned in his direction, and Martijn let himself into Ritske's stall, "You won't embarrass me, will you?" He would be switching off, but he didn't want to make a bad impression just yet. Sybren would manage that, probably, so they could start off on the right foot. He didn't need too much time to groom the gelding, just getting dirt and shavings from the black coat. The mane still looked presentable, in its running braid, so Martijn just picked out the shavings that had settled there, then headed back to the tack room for a moment to drop off the grooming kit.

Upon his return, he grabbed the gelding's halter, then after affixing it, led the black out of his stall. Together, they made their way to the Natural Horsemanship field, where Martijn smiled at the barn manager, now his teacher, and took one of the piles that had been pointed out, picking a black rope and a black and red carrot stick. He switched his lead for the new one, which was certainly longer, then dropped the shorter over the fence, so that he wouldn't forget it.

When the class started, Martijn looked over at the field that had been pointed out, looking at the barrels and pole that had been set up for them while he listened to the teacher. It sounded simple enough, although that might just be because he had a horse that would probably play nice. As they were told to begin, Martijn stepped up to the gate with Ritske, shrugging off the warning that the first person might be at a disadvantage.

He approached the 'corridor', as Ms. Chevalier had called it, sending the gelding towards the starting position with a hand signal, then having him halt with a calm "Woah." With Ritske standing, Martijn stepped away, to where they had been told to stay, letting out the lead rope until he was barely holding the end. The gelding, standing calmly enough, waited until he was told to walk on before he stepped through the corridor. Martijn smiled, reassuring the gelding that he'd done well with a word, before he had Ritske turn around, to repeat the exercise in reverse. After they'd done both ways twice, Martijn left the field for the next person, rubbing Ritske's neck before he settled to petting the gelding all over his body.

[Miranda Florin]

Miranda finished running the brush through Beauty's tail. After stepping back to admire her handiwork, she nodded and started gathering up the grooming tools. Once they had been returned to the the tack room of the main barn, Miranda grabbed her long lead and carrot stick. She took them outside and collected her horse.

Mentally going through the checklist of things she needed, Miranda nodded once, then left the grounds of the equine clinic, headed in the direction of the Natural Horsemanship field. As they walked, she wondered how Leo had done with Sye, although she wasn't worried... Too worried, at least. Leo could take care of himself, and Sye hadn't been known to act up for the past few years.

Upon entering the field, she smiled at Ms. Chevalier, then set to playing the friendly game with Beauty. The mare was easy enough to handle in most places, although she was cautious when people were handling her joints, even Miranda, who'd been working with her for years. That was only to be expected, though. Miranda wouldn't be surprised if they pained the mare, and for that, she behaved well.

When they were given their instructions, Miranda listened, looking out to the pole set-up that the teacher mentioned, then turning back to Ms. Chevalier. It seemed simple enough, but the boy with the Frisian had beaten her to the gate, so she let him go first. As they were done, Miranda clucked to Beauty and walked her over, stopping her at the gate. When asked to walk on, Beauty first tried to come towards Miranda. Shaking her head, the girl lined her up again and stepped up closer to the bar, in front of the mare, leading the mare through the chute with the bar between them.

After that, it was a matter of turning Beauty around, and the exercise went without hiccups, so the pair returned to the field and set back to work with the seven games.